Carbon graphite insoles and gait

Monday, June 5, 2017

Levers, rockers and carbon graphite insoles

Part 3 – Putting it all together

In part 1 of this conversation I presented a common customer question: can I wear just one carbon fiber insole? I briefly discussed gait and how a carbon fiber insole may affect gait. In part 2 of this conversation I addressed rockers and how rockers work in the gait cycle. Let’s close this conversation by discussing how each of our carbon fiber insoles affect gait including similarities and differences.

Lever arms and rockers – what’s the deal?

The leg, ankle and foot are a lever. The primary function of this lever is to deliver the mechanical force generated by the calf muscle to where the action takes place in the forefoot. So let’s put a carbon fiber insert under the foot. What happens to the leg, ankle and foot lever? First, think of the carbon fiber insert as something that splints the foot, strengthening the lever arm. Is this a good thing? Can you wear just one or should you wear a pair?

Normal gait requires a forefoot rocker. To mimic normal gait, I’ll always lean on the Spring Plate as the best choice of carbon fiber insert due to the forefoot rocker in the Spring Plate. But much of the success that we see with carbon fiber insoles comes with personal preference. Some of our customers who have tried both the Spring Plate and Turf Toe Plates prefer the Turf Toe Plate for sports. Other customers prefer the thinner Flat Turf Toe Plate due to the ease of fit in dress shoes. Therefore, it’s safe to say that the choice of carbon fiber insert can be somewhat personal based on not only the foot problem but also on intended use of the insert.

Can you wear just one carbon fiber insole? Absolutely. In fact we purposely sell the majority of our carbon fiber insoles as a single insert and not a pair. Less expensive and just as effective – try one at a time. If you find you need another to make a pair, we’ll be here.

Carbon fiber inserts are durable and versatile. If you need help with selecting the correct carbon fiber insole, be sure to contact us for further assistance.